Lucky break for Adriano as the woman shot in his car claims SHE pulled the trigger

A woman who was accidentally shot and wounded in her left hand while accompanying former Brazil striker Adriano in his car says she pulled the gun's trigger.

Adriene Pinto, 20, had told police the Corinthians player accidentally fired his bodyguard's gun when he was playing with it inside the car.

The incident happened after Adriano, the former Inter Milan forward, four women and the gun's owner left a night club in Rio's Barra da Tijuca district.

Spotlight: Adriano was initially accused of accidentally shooting a woman in the hand

However it has now emerged Pinto recanted her earlier testimony following contests from witnesses and claimed she picked up the .44 calibre pistol that was beneath the driver's seat. She says she was handling it when it accidentally went off.

The two of the other women who were in the car, both aged 28, later contested Ms Pinto's version of events, claiming she had shot herself in the hand in a deliberate attempt to attract publicity.